Softcover 55 pages, printed 2004 Limited edition of 100

This is a book that I wrote to commemorate the bicentenary of the death of the first White Settler to Castle Hill.  Verincourt Declambe sometimes written as Vernicourt De Clambe, De Clamp, Declam, or De Clamb was a French Nobleman who came to Sydney in 1801 aboard the Minorca as a free Settler.  He was allowed to choose 100 acres within the Government Farm boundaries - a privilege not allowed to any other settler of the time and he began to experiment growing cotton, grapes and coffee plants.  He was robbed twice by escapees from the nearby Government Barracks, visited by Francois Peron the famous French naturalist, was friends with John Palmer the Commissary and acquainted with many people in high places.  Notwithstanding this, there is scant literature about him and compounded with the fact that he died (at a ball at Government House, Parramatta) in 1804 his life before he came to Australia is still shrouded in mystery.  His house (or the original core) still stands at 342 Old Northern Road and is now home to a Funeral Parlour Office and he is rumoured to be interred somewhere on his property which is now built out.  I have an idea of where abouts but it is in the back yard of an existing private home!

Please note that should you use my book as a research tool, that I would like to be referenced. This applies to both Web & hard copy items.  I have seen a report written by a Sydney heritage consultant who has been paid a lot of money by Council and used much of my research as a spring board  to his report and I have not been referenced one tiny bit.  He shall remain nameless but I can tell you it ticked me off no end, especially when I spent two years doing the hard yards, slogging my way through libraries, Historical Societies etc trying to extract every tiny scrap of information collating it all and then using my own funds to self publish this book, just to make sure that the good Baron did not disappear into the obscurity of time,   and then  this person comes along and doesn't even give the courtesy of mentioning my work at all!  Shame on you.